DVC 9/11 Pins

[Stinson]

I don't know anything about Disney pins, but while I was recently at Disney World, I overheard people on a bus stating that the DVC 9/11 pin was the most sought after pin amoung pin traders. I then asked one of the official Disney pin traders and he confirmed that it was a "rare and special pin" - in his words. He said that there were no trades for the DVC pin, only purchases online.

 

[jel0511]

Being an amateur pin trader myself, I have about 12 pins, I can't attest to the "value" of the 9/11 DVC pins, but I do have a story about being approached.

We were in the pin area in the Sorcerer's Hat at MGM, where pin traders sometimes hang out. A husband and wife, actually, were talking to various people trading from their "trading lanyard." I heard her say, she does these trades to help other people to get them into pin trading. She approached me and DH , after I had noticed her checking us out, and asked if we were interested in trading with her. She then said, " This is my regular trading lanyard to trade with anyone, here is my SPECIAL lanyard to trade for special pins. I see you and your husband have many of the same pins, would you be interested in trading." The only pin that we had that hadn't been bought, was our DVC 9/11 pin. Due to reading here on the DIS, I knew about how few of them were mailed out and I considered myself lucky to have one. Also, being from NJ and a former employee at the WTC, I lost many friends on 9/11 and wouldn't part with this pin for my life. I knew she was interested in the DVC 9/11 pin and politely declined any trade. DH and I still laugh about the pin trader trying to "take advantage" of such lowly pin collectors like ourself. It was actually very funny, and the pin trader wasn't underhanded in anyway. Any CM I see, always askes me about my DVC 9/11 pin and asks where I got it. I tell them and then show them the back, they are very intrigued with it, as I guess it is very rare.

 

[DebbieB]

The pins were sent to DVC members as gifts last fall, there was no purchase. Each member was sent a set of 2 on a card with a nice verse on it. The front is similiar to one sold at WDW - a Mickey Head with white stars on a blue background on the left and red & white stripes on the right. On the back of the pin it says "Disney Vacation Club/In Remembrance/September 11, 2001". They got them out pretty quick, I'd say around the end of October.

 

[gracelrm]

I was a DVC member at the time and did not receive any pins and another thread on this topic a few weeks back indicated that not everyone received these. Do you think just some guides did this for their customers, or sent them to members in the NY/DC area, or to those with a certain number of points or higher??? Anyone with any ideas on this?

 

[MAC3]

We had just bought in that July. We received our pins just around October. It's strange how some get them and some don't. I wonder why?
Anyone?

 

[TIdoublegaER]

There were a lot of members who never received their pins. I think I remember reading that one (or more) of the shipments was stolen and a bunch turned up on ebay. Not sure how Disney does their mailings to members but I am always one of the last to get any of them! I consider myself lucky to have gotten mine and won't part with it for anything. Actually, I am afraid to wear it because I don't want to lose it!

 

[Tagrel]

Another member who never received these pins.

Fairly disappointing, but just terrible that people would steal them to make a profit off such a horrific event. Then again, anyone slimy enough to steal them in the first place would not worry about what they were making a profit on...

 

[WDWalways]

I just wanted to confirm that there is a bunch available on Ebay -- I was on there the other day looking for a DVC Boardwalk pin and just put in DVC pin into the "search" and quite alot of these 9/11 pins came up and I didn't understand what they were being that they looked just like the Mickey icon American flag pin that has been sold at EPCOT for years -- now I know.

 

[JudithM]

The DVC Mickey icon stars & stripes pin has more stars & stripes that the rack pin sold at WDW. When the two pins are placed side by side, the difference is quite evident. We received two pins on one card for our household, not per member. I don't think the sales guides had anything to do with sending members this pin. I wouldn't trade or sell our pins for anything!

 

[Towncrier]

The DVC supposedly did not get prior approval to put the "9/11" phrase on the back of the pin. They had to stop shipping them out, so not every member got their pins. As mentioned, the pins are available on ebay. I don't know how they were obtained, but they are the genuine article.

 

[Doctor P]

John,

I'm confused. What aspect of the verse on the back, or the reference to 9/11, would they have had to get permission for and why?

 

[Towncrier]

It is my understanding from talking with some of the pin folks that there are strict guidelines for what can and cannot be done when designing a Disney pin. And one of those guidelines is just what can be put on the back of a pin and what cannot. And from what I was told, the DVC pin broke those rules and consequently was pulled from distribution. I could be wrong and so could the people that I talked to, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

If any pin people would like to jump in and correct me, please do.

 

[Credit Man]

I wear my pin on my suit lapel every day. Not a day goes by that I don't look at it and remember. Never forget.

 

[shelly3girls]

I thought of buying one off of ebay, but now I am concerned. I would never want to buy something that someone came by dishonestly. I would do without than buy one that was stolen.

 

[Doctor P]

Ahhhh.....I understand, Towncrier! That explanation of how one could have gotten into trouble makes sense. Don't know if that is why they were in such short supply or not, but it is an interesting tidbit.

 

[OKW91]

We received our pins in October, and have had several offers to trade or sell them at WDW by other guests! I would never give them up, I guess from reading this post that we our lucky to have them!

 

[DeeP]

I also was lucky and got my 2 pins and I love them. I am also a semi conservative pin collector and have been since the pin craze at WDW started. I have small potatos compared to a lot of the big pin collectors at WDW, but a lot of pins compared to a non collector, I have about 1,000 pins. A lot of the 9/11 DVC pins got into the hands of non DVC members, just how, I do not know, I have heard many different versions. The 9/11 DVC pin is being sold on ebay and it is a semi valuable pin if you are talking pin collecting value. There are many other pins that are LE, Mystery Pins, Event pins etc that are much more sought out by the big pin collectors/dealers etc than the 9/11 DVC pin but it is still a good pin to have, pin collecting value wise. I just love mine for the sentimental value of it. I would trade just one away though for a really good pin like the Pirates Jail Scence/Disneyana Convention Event pin but that would never happen! LOL!

 

[Stinson]

WOW! 1,000 pins! That's quite an investment in pins. How many pins have been issued by Disney, and if you are a "conservative pin collector," then how many pins would a "nonconservative pin enthusiast" have?

 

[DeeP]

How many pins have been issued by Disney, and if you are a "conservative pin collector," then how many pins would a "nonconservative pin enthusiast" have?

All my pins and all of the pins you see the big pin collectors/dealers hauling around the parks in rollig suitcases are ALL Disney pins! Disney has happened to fall on a gold mine with the new craze of pin collecting. A BIG pin collector that is usually a local resident in the Orlando area that not only collects but is a pin dealer often has over 4 000 plus pins. Disney is not stupid and they have released many many very collectible pins since the start of the pin craze for the millenimum; and there are many die heart collectors and also dealers making money who have every valuable pin that has been released so betwee these pins and the pins released at the Disney Story and the Disney Galleries plus the park pins at WDW, DL, DLP TDL and all the resort pins and the list goes on and on ....... Believe me there are many Disney pin collectors out there with way more pins and a much more valuable Disney pin collections then I have.

 

[Paula H]

We received ours in October and they are still attached to the postcard. I keep the postcard on my dresser, so that I see them everyday. DH lost a close friend at the WTC and the pins came right at the right time for us - and I especially love the quote on the front. DH won't add them to his very modest pin collection on his lanyard since we wouldn't want to risk losing them. Since I'd never taken them off the post-card, I didn't know until now about the inscription, and that makes them all the more meaningful.